Doug Stanhope wants dual-citizenship in Iceland

In early August, we let you know about comedian Doug Stanhope’s plans to perform stand-up at a prison in Iceland. Well,the deed has been done and by Stanhope’s account, it was an amazing journey, despite his performance, which “sucked shit” – his words, not mine. As he’s quick to point out, however, this was the first show he’s been sober for in many years; he also adds that the “30 of 40” inmates who served as audience members for the show, didn’t seem to think there was anything wrong with the set he delivered.

In a new post on his official site – which you should read in its entirety – be details the facilities at Litla-Hraun, the maximum security prison in Reykjavik, the nation’s capital. “The Litla-Hraun prison only houses 80 prisoners, out in the middle of some endless, rolling lava-tundra and seems more like a summer camp for underprivileged teens,” he writes. “Some of the gates that were opened for us couldn’t hold my dog Henry if she saw a rabbit on the other side.”

Stanhope also recounts his adventures outside the priseon; he stopped mayor Jon Gnarr’s place – the mayor is also a comedian and helped facilitate Stanhope’s prison show – how he was given what he thought were hallucinegetic mushrooms as a gift and much more. “I’d like to make it my second home” Stanhope says. “I’d really love duel-citizenship there. And did I mention gay marriage is legal in Iceland?”

About the Author

Dylan P. Gadino

Dylan is the founder and editor in chief of Laughspin. He launched Punchline Magazine in 2005 (which became Laughspin in the summer of 2011) with childhood friend Bill Bergmann. Dylan lives in northern New Jersey with his wife and two sons. He hopes the Shire is real.